The timely detection of tumors with a determination of whether it is a malignant or benign tumor is of considerable importance. Various techniques are known. A digital rectal examination may result in a suspicion for the presence of prostate cancer. For a quantitative examination ultrasound examination, magnetic resonance tomography or positron emission tomography (PET) can be used. In addition, biomarkers, such as protein biomarkers, can aid in the detection and differentiation of malignant tumors and benign tumors. For example, some of these biomarkers can be detected in the blood, urine or ejaculate. Through the examination of a biopsied tissue sample it is determined, on the basis of said tissue sample, whether an aggressive tumor is present. The detection of tumors, and the determination of whether an aggressive tumor or non-aggressive tumor is present is of particular importance for the decision whether further observation (so-called “active surveillance”) is indicated, or whether therapies such as a prostatectomy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy or chemotherapy must be performed.
Efficient and objective examination of samples, such as blood, urine, ejaculate, lymphatic fluid, interstitial fluid, biopsies or tissue sections, remains a challenge, however. Many of the traditional approaches to assaying the samples are cumbersome, costly, and often not sufficiently objective.
In particular, the study of biopsies often has the problem that biopsy tissue, especially for small tumors may only contain tissue that contains no tumor cells or that it is far away from the tumor. In these cases, conventional examination methods often do not allow sufficiently reliable knowledge as to whether an aggressive or non-aggressive tumor is present.